Milton's Minor Poems copertina

Milton's Minor Poems

Milton's Minor Poems

Di: John Milton
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Immerse yourself in the world of poetic exploration with "Milton's Minor Poems," where the subtleties and audacity of lesser-known works reveal profound insights into the human experience. This podcast delves into the themes of creativity, satire, and the interplay between the poet and his audience, showcasing the brilliance of Milton's early poetry. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, inviting listeners to savor the rich language and intricate forms that characterize Milton's minor works. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that illuminate the depth and diversity of poetic expression. From playful invocations to thought-provoking reflections, discover how these poems challenge conventions and engage with timeless themes. With every episode, broaden your appreciation for the art of poetry and uncover the layers of meaning woven into each verse.Copyright Single Author Genre Arte Catechesi ed evangelismo Cristianesimo Spiritualità Storia e critica della letteratura
Episodi
  • Sunny Side (Version 2)-A. A. Milne

    Sunny Side (Version 2)-A. A. Milne
    Aug 16 2026
    “On Shakespear 1630” typifies much of Milton’s poetry. By some miracle never yet explained, at age 24 he managed to get a 16-line encomium included in the Second Folio of the Bard’s collected works, 1632. Quite a coup! And this brand new M.A., never before published, used this brief poem to contradict Shakespeare’s chief rival, the great Ben Jonson, whose 80-line panegyric had graced the First Folio eleven years earlier. Jonson had said that Shakespeare’s monument was this living book, but Milton says, no, it is rather the readers who, stunned by the poet’s verse, become living statues in his honor. You will find the same audacity here in the minor poems as in Paradise Lost, which treats of “things unattempted yet in prose of rime.” You can hear it in the college student’s satirical invitation (likely to the classmate next on the program) “Rivers arise . . . ,” a travesty of the epic catalogue of rivers; and in his affectionately irreverent epitaph on Hobson (of “Hobson’s choice”), the stage coach driver for the boys of Cambridge; and again in a second epitaph on the same subject but offering a shameless burlesque of “Metaphysical” conceits. Even in his paraphrase of Psalm VII, where he takes issue with the King James Version on two points of grammar at the end of the second stanza, he is clearly the man who will write “How few somtimes may know, when thousands err.” Yet for all Milton’s iconoclasm, he knows discipline. Some of the later sonnets undertake topics, express attitudes, and employ metrical devices which, by straining the delicate sonnet form almost—but not quite—to the breaking point, create such power as was never before borne by any sonnet. Such is the power of poetic discipline wedded to poetic genius. But it is in “Lycidas” that Milton faces the ultimate test of inspiration vs. authority. He piles into the poem every known convention of the pastoral elegy form and even drags in by the heels St. Peter, who, as father of the Church, was a pastor, and these provide the cage within which he must work. Yet he brings them to life with such convincing shifts of sentiment—blaming, wishful thinking, savage resentment, brave facing of the truth, and finally acceptance—that they cease to be confining; sincerity transmutes his cage into his language, sincerity belying artifice. Summary by T. A. Copeland
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    7 ore e 56 min
  • Poems and Some Satires of Andrew Marvell-Andrew Marvell

    Poems and Some Satires of Andrew Marvell-Andrew Marvell
    Aug 4 2026
    "Poems and Some Satires of Andrew Marvell" showcases the profound and witty works of the 17th-century poet Andrew Marvell, whose verses blend lyrical beauty with sharp social commentary. This collection invites listeners to explore Marvell's keen observations on love, politics, and the human condition, themes that remain strikingly relevant today. His blend of humor and critique offers a timeless reflection on societal norms and individual experience, making it an enduring piece of literature. Engaging with Marvell's poetry allows us to connect with the past while contemplating the complexities of our own times. Immerse yourself in the rich language and thought-provoking satire that define Marvell's legacy.
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    7 ore e 36 min
  • Milton's Minor Poems - John Milton

    Milton's Minor Poems - John Milton
    Jul 8 2026
    “On Shakespear 1630” typifies much of Milton’s poetry. By some miracle never yet explained, at age 24 he managed to get a 16-line encomium included in the Second Folio of the Bard’s collected works, 1632. Quite a coup! And this brand new M.A., never before published, used this brief poem to contradict Shakespeare’s chief rival, the great Ben Jonson, whose 80-line panegyric had graced the First Folio eleven years earlier. Jonson had said that Shakespeare’s monument was this living book, but Milton says, no, it is rather the readers who, stunned by the poet’s verse, become living statues in his honor. You will find the same audacity here in the minor poems as in Paradise Lost, which treats of “things unattempted yet in prose of rime.” You can hear it in the college student’s satirical invitation (likely to the classmate next on the program) “Rivers arise . . . ,” a travesty of the epic catalogue of rivers; and in his affectionately irreverent epitaph on Hobson (of “Hobson’s choice”), the stage coach driver for the boys of Cambridge; and again in a second epitaph on the same subject but offering a shameless burlesque of “Metaphysical” conceits. Even in his paraphrase of Psalm VII, where he takes issue with the King James Version on two points of grammar at the end of the second stanza, he is clearly the man who will write “How few somtimes may know, when thousands err.” Yet for all Milton’s iconoclasm, he knows discipline. Some of the later sonnets undertake topics, express attitudes, and employ metrical devices which, by straining the delicate sonnet form almost—but not quite—to the breaking point, create such power as was never before borne by any sonnet. Such is the power of poetic discipline wedded to poetic genius. But it is in “Lycidas” that Milton faces the ultimate test of inspiration vs. authority. He piles into the poem every known convention of the pastoral elegy form and even drags in by the heels St. Peter, who, as father of the Church, was a pastor, and these provide the cage within which he must work. Yet he brings them to life with such convincing shifts of sentiment—blaming, wishful thinking, savage resentment, brave facing of the truth, and finally acceptance—that they cease to be confining; sincerity transmutes his cage into his language, sincerity belying artifice. Summary by T. A. Copeland
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    3 ore e 56 min
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